The present invention relates to target apparatus.
It has been proposed to provide a target apparatus in which the position of a bullet or other projectile fired at the target apparatus is determined by detecting the airborne or acoustic shock or pressure wave generated by the bullet or other projectile with a plurality of transducers or other similar devices located adjacent or in the region of the target. Electrical signals generated by the transducers on detection of the shock wave are supplied to a timing device or the like which is connected to a computer or other automatic calculating device and the calculating device is operated to calculate the trajectory of the bullet or other projectile. In one particular device a plurality of transducers are located in a row beneath the target, and the computer or other calculating device is so arranged that initially the time delays between the reception of the shock wave by the first transducer to receive the shock wave and the reception of the shock wave by the remaining transducers are calculated, and these time delays are subsequently utilised, with an appropriate program, to calculate the trajectory of the bullet relative to target.
It is envisaged that in this type of apparatus the transducers will be mounted on a rigid framework or the like, so that the positions of the transducers are fixed, the apparatus will be calibrated in some way so that the computer or calculating device will provide accurate results, the computer thus being provided with information concerning the precise location of the target relative to the transducers.
It is envisaged that the framework or other structure supporting the transducers will be located immediately adjacent the target, the target being the point at which the trainee marksman will aim. The target may be formed of any suitable cheap material and may be a bullseye target or may form a representation of an object which has a specific outline shape, for example, a tank or armoured car.
If the target is a bullseye target it is necessary that the position of the centre of target relative to the transducers be stored in the computer, which involves making accurate measurements, possibly under adverse conditions if the target is used on a range which is located in a very cold climate. On the other hand if a target having a specific peripheral shape e.g. a tank shaped target is utilised, whilst it would be possible carefully to measure the position of the target relative to the transducers, and also carefully to measure the outline shape of the target, and to program or adapt the computer or calculating device so that the calculating device can determine accurrately whether any particular bullet or projectile passed through the target or passed adjacent the target, such a procedure is relatively costly, time consuming, inconvenient and inaccurate.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved target apparatus, and a method of operating the apparatus in which the above described disadvantages and drawbacks are reduced or obviated.